Abstract Understanding how a geosynthetic-reinforced soil deforms in response to the formation of an underlying void is crucial to provide appropriate designs of these systems. Centrifuge models employing a trapdoor to simulate the void formation below a geosynthetic-reinforced sand were conducted to investigate the behaviour in a controlled environment at realistic stress levels. The plane-strain models allowed visual observations of the deformation mechanisms using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). These observations were used to validate assumptions about the geosynthetic behaviour made in current design recommendations, and address limitations related to the fill behaviour. Soil expansion was observed to be confined to a parabolic zone above the void related to the soil dilatancy, rather than with a single, unique coefficient of expansion. The zone of subsidence was characterised by an initial vertical prism with a funnel to the surface, with the surface settlement profile better described by a Gaussian distribution rather than the parabolic profile used historically. Detailed interpretation of the centrifuge tests has given new insight into the soil and geosynthetic behaviour relevant to how these systems deform in practice. This paves the way for more efficient design recommendations and consequently will facilitate better predictions of geosynthetic-reinforced soil behaviour above voids.

中文翻译：

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空隙上方的土工合成材料加筋土：观察土壤和土工合成材料变形机制

摘要 了解土工合成材料加筋土如何随着底层空隙的形成而变形，对于提供这些系统的适当设计至关重要。离心机模型采用活板门来模拟土工合成材料增强砂下方的空隙形成，以研究在现实应力水平下受控环境中的行为。平面应变模型允许使用粒子图像测速法 (PIV) 对变形机制进行视觉观察。这些观察结果用于验证当前设计建议中关于土工合成材料行为的假设，并解决与填充行为相关的限制。观察到土壤膨胀被限制在与土壤膨胀相关的空隙上方的抛物线区域，而不是单一的、独特的膨胀系数。沉降区的特征是一个初始的垂直棱柱，表面有一个漏斗，表面沉降剖面用高斯分布而不是历史上使用的抛物线剖面更好地描述。对离心机测试的详细解释使人们对与这些系统在实践中如何变形相关的土壤和土工合成材料的行为有了新的了解。这为更有效的设计建议铺平了道路，因此将有助于更好地预测空隙上方的土工合成材料加固土壤行为。对离心机测试的详细解释使人们对与这些系统在实践中如何变形相关的土壤和土工合成材料的行为有了新的了解。这为更有效的设计建议铺平了道路，因此将有助于更好地预测空隙上方的土工合成材料加固土壤行为。对离心机测试的详细解释使人们对与这些系统在实践中如何变形相关的土壤和土工合成材料的行为有了新的了解。这为更有效的设计建议铺平了道路，因此将有助于更好地预测空隙上方的土工合成材料加固土壤行为。